Switch control system for out-of-range pin and new set solenoids



July 27, QSS c. B. sHELToN ETAL. 3,195'5205 SWITCH CONTROL SYSTEM FOROUT-OF-RANGE PIN AND NEW SET SOLENOIDS Filed Jan. 28, 1963 NVENTOR cy@ 55 I BY @A5371 United. States Patent .O

3,197,205 Sid/'HCH CQNTRL SY TEM FOR GUT-GF-RANGE PLN AND NEW SETSLENOIDS Cyril B. Sheitan, 1825 35th St., and Alois R. Weiser, 515Sheridan Road, both of Kenosha, Wis. iFiied Jan. 28, 1963, Ser. No.254,259 6 Claims. (Cl. 273-43) This invention relates, generally, toautomatic pinsetters for bowling alleys and it has particular relationto `automatic pinsetters of the kind and character shown in U.S. PatentNo. 2,973,204, issued February 28, 1961, to `Jilliam F. Huck et al. Thedisclosure of that patent is incorporated by reference in thisspecication.

The automatic pinsetter of the above patent employs a pin deck that setsthe bowling pins at the start of a two ball frame or when a new set ofpins is required. The pin deck also picks up the standing pins afterdelivery of the first ball and resets them for delivery of the secondball. Prior to resetting of the pins for the second ball a rake sweepsaway the deadwood from the alley bed. Included with the pin deck is -alower plate which, among other functions, is arranged to detect thepresence of an out of range pin. When the presence of such a pin isdetected, the operation of the pinsetter is stopped in one embodiment ofthe invention disclosed in the patent. Provision is made through themanual operation of a rod or out of range lever in the rear of thepinsetter for raising the pin deck but leaving the rake in elevatedposition to prevent the delivery of the second ball. The operation ofthe pinsetter under out of range conditions is described in the patentin column 16, lines 56-75, and column 17, lines l-53, to which referencecan be had for a more complete understanding of the pinsetter and itsoperation.

Since the rod or out of range lever is located in the rear of thepinsetter, it is necessary to have an attendant yat that location or tosend one to restart the pinsetter under those conditions involving anout of range pin. This is an inconvenience and often entails substantialdelay before it can be accomplished.

Accordingly, among the objects of this invention are: To provide foroperating the rod or out of range lever of the above patent from aremote point, for example by the bowler at the head of the alley or byan attendant at the counter from which the operation of the alleys isdirected; to initiate from a remote point or points the elevation of thepin deck when it encounters `an out of range pin during its downwardmovement while maintaining the rake in its normal inoperated position;in response to the detection of an out of range pin to disable theenergizing circuit for the new set or new pin solenoid which iscontrolled from the remote point or points and to shift the circuit toenergize an out of range solenoid for effecting only the elevation ofthe pin deck to permit delivery of the second ball; to accomplish theseoperations by the provision of -a switch which isshifted from oneposition to another in response to movement of a detector lever that isoperated to a certain position corresponding to the detection of an outof range pin by the pin deck; and to energize automatically the out ofrange solenoid in response to the detection of lan out of range pinafter the energizing circuit for the new set or new in solenoid has beendisabled.

In the drawing accompanying this specification the single ligure showsdiagrammatically how the present invention can be incorporated in thepinsetter disclosed in the above patent, particular reference being hadto FIGS. l, 2, 6 and 9 thereof. In the drawing and descriptioncomprising this specication certain of the elements of the above patentare illustrated and referred to. They are referred to herein by thereference characters of the ice,

patent and to distinguish them from the reference characters of thisspecification, they are shown as (elli).

Reference iirst is had to the above patent and the particular portionreferred to for lan understanding of the details of construction of thepinsetter with respect vto which this invention is particularlyapplicable.

A detector leverr(52) is arranged to be positioned in accordance withthe elevation at which the pin deck stops. It is operated to apredetermined counterclockwise position from that shown in the drawingin response to the detection of an out of range pin. In order to providea mechanism that is responsive to this positioning of the detector lever(521) a nose portion 1t) is arranged to engage it and to operate an arm11 which is rotatably mounted at 12 and is connected as shown by brokenline 13 to operate a switch member 14 which forms a part of a singlepole double throw switch that is indicated, generally, at 16. The switch16 includes a back contact member i7 that normally is engaged by theswitch member 1d. A circuit is maintained through the switch member 1dand back contact member 17 from control switches (622) and (623) forenergizing -a new set or new pin solenoid (58%) by connecting it forenergization between main lines (60d) and (dill). As pointed out in thepatent the control switch (622) can be located in the rear of thepinsetter while the control switch (o23) is located at the head of thealley where it can be operated by the bowler. If desired, anothercontrol switch, in parallel with `the control switches (622) and (o23)can be connected in parallel therewith and located in the oiiice or' atthe counter where an attendant is located. The main lines (69d) and(661) are connected for energization to a suitable 1l() volt 60 cycleper second alternating current source. It will be understood that ahigher voltage can be employed `and that a relay can be inserted betweenthe control switches (22) and (623) and the new set or pin solenoid(53%) in accordance with conventional practice. ln such case the controlswitches (622) and (623) are located in a low voltage control circuitfor safety reasons.

It will be observed that, when the detector lever (521) is rotated in acounterclockwise direction in response to the detection of an out ofrange pin, the energizing circuit for the new set or new pin solenoid(586) is opened so that the operation of either of the control switches(622) or (o23) is ineffective to energize it and start the cycle ofoperations which include the operation of the rake which sweeps thedeadwood from the alley bed and then places a new set of pins thereon.Since the out of range pin is the result of the delivery of the firstball of a two ball frame, it is desirable that it remain standing fordelivery of the second ball. Accordingly, provision is made to preventoperation of the rake under Lhese particular circumstances.

When the switch member 14 is moved out of engagement with the rackcontact member 17 in response to the rotation of the detector lever(521) in a counterclockwise direction through an extent corresponding tothe detection of an out of range pin, a circuit is completed byengagement with front contact member 1S and through conductor i9 toenergize an out of range solenoid 29 upon the subsequent closure ofeither of the control `switches (622) or (623).

Associated with the out of range solenoid 20 is an armature 21 which isconnected by a link 22 to a pivotal connection 23 at one end of asemicircular lever 24. The other end of the sernicircular lever 23 ispivotally connected at 25 to a yoke 25 which depends from the undersideof the machine platform that is indicated at 27. At a location nearer tothe pivotal connection23 than to the pivotal connection 25 at 28 a link29 is connected to the semicircular lever 24. The other end of the link29 alemana has an elongated slot 39 through which a double lock bolt 3iextends and is secured to one end of a link (546) which, as describedlin the patent, is arranged to operate the deck holding latch (400) tohold the deck in the elevated position and also to operate the rakelatch (145) in such manner'as to prevent its operation. In addition theendwise movement of the link (546) herein referred to as a deck link iseffective to rotate starter arm (549) for the purpose of elevating thepin deck and leave the out of range pin ready for the delivery of thesecond ball. Under these operating conditions it is necessary, accordingto the patent, for an attendant to operate a rod or out of range lever(545) which is attached to the deck link (S46) in order to effect theelevation of the pin deck after it has detected an out of range pin andto operate the latch (400) for holding it in the elevated position andalso for operating the rake latch (14S) to prevent operation of therake.

In accordance with this invention these operations can be initiated bythe bowler merely by depressing the control switch (623) upon thedetection of an out of range pin and th-e subsequent operation of theswitch member 14 from engagement with the back contact member i7 toengagement with the front contact member 18. When this takes place, onclosure of the control switch (62.3) the out of range solenoid 20 isenergized and armature 21 is attracted to rotate the semicircular lever24 in a clockwise direction. The movement of the semicircular lever 24is effective through the link 29 to move the deck link (546) in the samemanner that it otherwise would be operated manually by the attendant inpulling on the rod or out of range lever (S45).

lf it is desired that the out of range solenoid 20 be energized inresponse to the operation of the detector lever (52E) to the positionthat it occupies on detection of an out of range pin, the switch, showngenerally at 33, can be used. The switch 33 includes a movable switchmember 34 which is operated by an extension of the operating connection13 to the arm 11. This is indicated by broken line 35. Normally theswitch member 34 is in engagement with a back Contact member 36 and, onrotation of the detector lever (521) in the manner described to rotatethe switch member i4 out ofengagement with the back contact member 17,the switch member 34 is moved to engage a front contact member 37 whichis connected by conductor 38 to the conductor 19. Energizing circuit forthe out of range solenoid 20 is completed through a conductor 39 and amanually operable switch 40 to the main line (661). When it is desiredto energize the out of range solenoid 20 automatically in response tothe detection of an out of range pin, the switch 40 is left closed. Thenit is unnecessary to operate either the control switch (622) or (523) inorder to effect the operation of .the deck link (546) in the mannerdescribed. At the same time, by moving the switch member 14 out ofengagement with the back contact member 17, the energizing circuit forthe new set or new pin solenoid (586) is disabled and, during thisperiod, it cannot be energized by operation of either of the controlswitches (622) or (623).

What is claimed as new is:

1. In an automatic pinsetter for use on a bowling alley, said pinsetterhaving:

(a) a pin deck for picking up and setting bowling pins in predeterminedpositions on the bed of the alley,

(b) rake means for sweeping the deadwood from the alley,

(c) a new set solenoid for initiating operation of said rake means andof said pinsetter to provide a new set of pins after operation of saidrake means,

(d) a manually operable switch for effecting energization of said newset solenoid,

(e) means including a detector lever for detecting whether any pin leftstanding is `out of range of the pickup means after the first ball isdelivered,

(f) means for stopping operation of the pinsetter in response to thedetection of an out of range pin, and

(g) a deck link operable to effect raising of said pin deck afterdetection thereby of an out `of range pin, to hold said pin deck inelevated. position, and to prevent operation of said rake means, incombinanon:

(h) a first switch means operated by said detector lever on detection ofan out of range pin for disabling the energizing circuit for said newset solenoid as controlled by said manually operable switch means,

(i) an out of range solenoid operatively connected to said deck link,and

(j) a second switch means operated by said detector lever after theenergizing circuit for said new set solenoid has been disabled forcontrolling the energization of said out of range solenoid to operatesaid deck link and raise said pin deck without loperating said rakemeans whereby the out of range pin is left standing and awaitingdelivery of the second ball.

2. The invention, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connectionbetween the out of range solenoid and the deck link includes:

(a) an armature inthe magnetic field of said out of range solenoid,

(b) a lever pivotally connected at one end to said armature and pivotedabout a fixed axis at its other end, and

(c) a link pivotally connected at one end intermediate the ends of saidlever and at the other end to said deck link.

3. The invention, as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

(a) the lever is semicircular in shape, and

(b) the link is connected thereto closer to the pivotal connection ofthe armature than to its fixed axis.

4. The invention, as set forth in claim l, wherein the second switchmeans is connected in series circuit relation with the manually operableswitch whereby the out of range solenoid is energized on operationthereof.

5. The invention, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second switchmeans is arranged and adapted to effect energization of the out of rangesolenoid upon closure thereof in response to operation of the detectorlever as a result of the presence of an out of range pin.

6. In an automatic pinsetter out-of-range reset actuating device forreactuating a pinsetter machine after the same has been stopped by anout-of-range pin; said pinsetter machine having out-of-range pin sensingmeans, an out-of-range reset lever, new set solenoid means, and amanually operable first switch means; said actuating device comprising asecond switch means for controlling said new set solenoid means,out-of-range solenoid means operable in response to said sensing meanson manual closure of said first switch means to operate said resetlever, a third switch means for controlling said out-ofrange solenoidmeans, switch actuating means movable in response to said sensing meansto `open said second switch means and to close said third switch means,and means connecting said out-of-range solenoid means and said resetlever.

References Cited by the Examiner UNIT ED STATES PATENTS 2,514,457 7/50Schmidt 273-43 2,559,274 7/51 Broekhuysen 27343 2,75,146 3/55 Montoothet al. 273-43 2,973,204 2/61 Huck et al. 273-43 3,081,086 3/ 63Butterfield 273-43 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

6. IN AN AUTOMATIC PINSETTER OUT-OF-RANGE RESET ACTUATING DEVICE FORREACTUATING A PINSETTER MACHINE AFTER THE SAME HAS BEEN STOPPED BY ANOUT-OF -RANGE PIN; SAID PINSETTER MACHINE HAVING OUT-OF-RANGE PINSENSING MEANS, AN OUT-OF-RANGE RESET LEVER, NEW SET SOLENOID MEANS, ANDA MANUALLY OPERABLE FIRST SWITCH MEANS; SAID ACTUATING DEVICE COMPRISINGA SECOND SWITCH MEANS FOR CONTROLLING SAID NEW SET SOLENOID MEANS,OUT-OF-RANGE SOLENOID MEANS OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO SAID SENSING MEANSON MANUAL CLOSURE OF SAID FIRST SWITCH MEANS TO OPERATE SAID RESETLEVER, A THIRD SWITCH MEANS FOR CONTROLLING SAID OUT-OFRANGE SOLENOIDMEANS, SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS MOVABLE IN RESPONSE TO SAID SENSING MEANSTO OPEN SAID SECOND SWITCH MEANS AND TO CLOSE SAID THIRD SWITCH MEANS,AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID OUT-OF-RANGE SOLENOID MEANS AND SAID RESETLEVER.